Results for From the Courts

‘Epeli Taione (40) and two other men who have been charged with possession of illicit drugs, appeared at the Fasi Magistrate’s Court on February 3.

The trial for Lord Tu’ivakano on charges relating to the issuance of Tongan passports starts on February 10, at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

Rizvi Jurangpathy whose employment contract was terminated by Tonga Communications Corporation in 2017, was awarded $165,000 pa'anga in damages by the Lord Chief Justice, who found he was subjected to unfair treatment when he was under investigation for the allegations against him. The employer had relied on “inaccurate and inadequate” information and breached its obligations.

The five men charged with the murder of Sione Feimoefiafi (49) in the Nuku'alofa CBD, have pleaded not guilty on December 17 at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

The case against five men charged with the murder in the death of Sione Feimoefiafi (49), was called for the first time at the Supreme Court on December 3.

Two men have been found guilty of possessing methamphetamine, when Tonga Police interrupted drug dealing activity held at home in Ngele'ia in August, 2018.

A young couple received a two-years fully suspended prison sentence for theft, when they stole Tongan artefacts valued at $62,000 pa'anga from the wife's grandmother in Kolofo'ou. None of the artefacts were recovered after being sold to a vendor at Talamahu Market.

A 47-year-old man from Vaini was jailed for cultivating cannabis and having in his possession firearm and ammunition without a license.

Ma’ake Kali (41) who was convicted for the theft of goods valued at around $20,000 from a home at Pili, was sentenced to two-years imprisonment.